Mark Judan: Family Time

Speaking of infrastructure and building bridges. 

Rudan talked about (the state of) “the game” (in NZ) in his presser.

Mark is of Croatian origin right? If he is here beyond next season, I’d be interested in his thoughts on ACFC and their future. 

Both Mariana (his sister who did the SBS World Game) and Mark are eligible for Croatian passport because of their parents.

I think you've missed my point - I just don't get why some 'football' people apparently feel like this is a choice and that they're conflicted. For me, it's exactly the type of poor excuse that Rudan is trying to banish, and I fully support him in that. Sure, support your local club, watch your Euro team too. But, at the expense of the Nix, who are on your doorstep providing a genuine local pathway to pro football for NZ kids? That's pure madness IMHO. Rudan and the Nix are challenging us all to aim higher and be better than that.

Sure, life takes and needs all kinds. But, not sure really what that's got to do with it...

But Westpac was constructed before the Nix existed. Only tenant they could possibly lose, who would have been part of their business planning twenty odd years ago prior to construction - Wellington Lions ITM Cup team.

Makes sense for them to move to a spruced up Hutt Rec, they can get as little as 1-2K to a cold midweek night game at the ROF. That must be a loss making enterprise for everyone.

However Hurricanes would stay for sure at Westpac.

Probably because NZ was not settled by Americans, and neither historically have all NZ's grassroots basketball clubs had a very strong American player & coaching influence.

If that was the case then you could directly compare it to NZ football, if you know what I mean.

Basketball was a basketcase, they were constantly going bust and had to even pay to have the games televised, and the breakers were able to dominate simply by being well run and solvent. That success built an audience, also the Northshore event centre only holds a few k so it's easy to get a big crowd.

Interesting background how for the first season Mark Rudan first played for Sydney FC, his own father refused to go to the matches to watch because he was such a fan of Sydney United? in the state league or whatever it was. He certainly has experience with conflicts between football communities. 

He's no doubt aware of ACFC, through their exploits at CWC. 

But would he know they have a Croat heritage? Would he know of Central?

Probably a better question for him is, does he see room for 2nd team in NZ longer term. 

Based on his experience of derbies in Oz, does he think 3 Wellington-Auckland games a season, alone would be enough to lift football's profile in NZ.

He probably needs to be here another 6 months to really form any strong views on that.

Life is busy, people are forced into choices about how they spend their time. If I have only 2 hours spare on a weekend when the nix are away,, then the arsenal game probably wins for me. In winter, I might officiate 1-2 games of local football. I might even spectate a Sunday Central league game if one is on. Again, choices.

I suspect there are just different sets of people, who select their 'team' in different ways. Their first team might be City, or Preston north end, and the Phoenix merely scratches a local itch. For others Olympic will always come first.

That people who follow the a-league seem to take offence at the way other people spend their time has always bemused me.

Just listened to his interview with Soccer Stoppage Time. Boy, do they love him at the moment. Only thing new I picked up on was that there is some family connection (?) with the new South West Sydney club. <Gulp>

That's certainly a good start. I think a minimalist design would look good and be in keeping with his short, decisive, sometimes curt demeanor. I have 0 design skills but I'd pick a lot of people would buy a Rudes tee.

Actually, didn't he say something like "I'm kiwi as they come" when he signed? Something like that would look quite nice on a tee...

It's obviously just when, not if, when it comes to Rudan leaving and coaching a Sydney based club. I just hope by the time he leaves, our future is assured and he has left us with a solid base to build from. 

The point was that the Breakers had a lot of success early on, it was easier to be successful in the NBL when the Breakers were dominant because the whole sport was tinkering on extinction and most of the teams were under resourced or mismanaged. By being well resourced and well managed they were a cut above the competition. The salary cap in the NBL is a third of that of the A-League as well. 

If the Phoenix started with multiple championships and playoffs and were one of the richest teams in the competition then they too would have a big fan base.

Except that's not really how it happened.  It took the Breakers 8 years to get their shark in order and win their first title.  They were sharke for a long time

and Basketball at the level below the breakers is still a basketcase

Monday's show is now available as a podcast:https://t.co/Shkyfog7Sw https://t.co/Shkyfog7Sw

— Soccer Stoppage Time (@SocStoppageTime) January 15, 2019

Haven't listened yet, so dunno how far in the interview is.

23:15 in :)

Interesting that Tony Rallis is Singh's agent..

I am worried about the speculation and his responses tbh but at the very least I'd say we've got him for this season and hopefully he can set us up nicely for next

The huge sacrifice Mark Rudan made by moving to Wellington to coach the Phoenix 

Football: How Mark Rudan revived the Wellington Phoenix

I ❤ Rudan

Would be an absolutely massive sacrifice with kids that age. Hope he can find a more sustainable routine/living arrangements.

Not surprising at all, this guy is seriously dedicated. Still, massive kudos to him for doing it and hopefully things work out for the best for all parties, us included! 

Mark Rudan is, owners aside, the best thing to ever happen to our club. A solution needs to be found. Sort out the club's licence once and for all, give him a long, lucrative contract and that will make up his mind on his family for him I'm sure. 

Wonder if he will stay for full 2 years. I guess it depends how the Nix finish the second half of the season. Scary to see him say in hindsight he wouldn't of taken the role..

His future is in Australia - he is smarting from missing out to Steve Corica for the Sydney FC gig (and you could argue he might have been able to pull that one off better than Steve).  We are an excellent stepping stone for him from NPL to HAL.  He bet on us, and we bet on him.

Unfortunately he alone cannot influence the licence issue - we all know that this is a political and financial deal and that FFA is simply suffering our presence and are setting us up to fail with higher threshold than other clubs to comply because they have other (viable?) candidate franchises lining up now which was not the case 3- 5 years ago. But Rudan has shown that with good coach at the helm we are actually not a basket case FOX Sports and Gallop were painting us to be, and if the playing field was even we would compete in the league successfully.

Yep. I think best we can hope for is that we do well this season and next, such that ditching us starts to look awkward. (Much less awkward if we came e.g. 8th and 10th).

Our best bet for that is to have Rudan be here next season.

Mark will not stay beyond the 2 years. But the time he is here he will give us everything.

All i hope is that the changes he makes are ingrained in the culture by whenever he decides to head back to the western island.

Having a coach who demands excellence and performance. How fudging novel. We accepted mediocrity for too long. 

The oversight in this thinking was that no one bothered to tell Mark Rudan. The 43 year-old Phoenix manager has arrived in the shaky isles and turned a forlorn cause into an exciting and competitive club. His success was based on a culture change and a collective belief in the team’s ability to achieve.

First step will be confirmation of licence extension, so that Rudan can forsee a future in Wellington.

If the licence is extended, 2nd step is convincing him to stay and bring his family over. Persuading him that the Nix is a better bet than Sydney FC, new team MacArthur SW Sydney (where worryingly he has family connections), Adelaide or whoever.

Maybe NZF/Schmid can help a little, by giving him a little bit of exposure to international coaching, like inviting him to AWs/U23s camps in the A League off season. What young coach wouldn't enjoy that extra opportunity. Greenacre could be the link with something like that.

Obviously something has to give, as the current family setup doesn't sound sustainable for him.

It's not unusual in the sports world though. From memory Merrick left his family in Melbourne (kids older I presume).

Warren Gatland coached Wales, whilst his kids were finishing school in Hamilton.

Dan Carter's wife & kids are in Auckland, whilst he plays rugby in Japan (is admittedly a short rugby season in Nippon).

Anyway as soon as the licence situation is confirmed, and assuming it is good news - Welnix obviously need to sweet talk Rudan, but also plan for his exit. Help some young NZ based coaches get their badges, and make a case to FFA that the A licence should be enough for Kiwi coaches just like Australians.

Rudan has brought a hard, no-nonsense approach to the Phoenix, illustrated with many examples, from the gruelling pre-season bloc in Australia (which included a 24-hour army-led boot camp, with no food or sleep) to his swift axing of former Socceroo Mitch Nichols this week (contract terminated immediately) when in the past plenty of big-name signings were allowed to coast through seasons.

But Rudan laughs at suggestions he is ruthless.

"I don't know," said Rudan. "Perceptions are funny. I'm pretty strong in my messages and [single-minded about] where we can go as a club. You have to go down a path; if you start allowing too many options, sometimes people take the safer route or the easier option.

"I've made it clear that in order for us to get to where we need to go, we need to do it this way. It's going to be a tough road and there are no shortcuts.

"We had to hit certain targets, along with body weight or skinfolds, the way we train, nothing comes easy in life and you need to work hard at it. There are certain non-negotiables but it's not a dictatorship, it's not my way or the highway."

Sounds like Mitch Nichols saw the writing was on the wall after falling down the pecking order at the Phoenix and spoke to Mark Rudan about the possibility of exploring opportunities elsewhere in the transfer window this week. Rudan said he’s looking at SE Asia.

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) January 18, 2019

Rudan will have already been approached by more than one A league (or  soon to be A league) club about next season. The greater success we have this season will only add to the list of suitors. 

My bet is that with continued Nix success he will only go to a Sydney club now. 

As he himself said, enjoy the moment. 

Interesting from Rudan adding Maori culture to the teams culture, appears to be working you would say. Hongi instead of high fives.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-22/mark-rudan-...

I sincerely hope this will be picked up and reprinted in our local press.  Any way we could facilitate that?

Been picked up by Radio NZ

https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/sport/380639/how-an...